Suction cleaning apparatus



March 27, 1945., g, H TAYLOR 2,72,4Q4

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 23, 1942 1 IIIIIIIlIIIIIIII/IIII/l/Ifll 4 .415 A3 WITNESSES: FIG- 6., INVENTOR 7 f HAEL ES H. Was 40g I BY QWQM Patented 27, 1945 Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania Pa., a corporationof Application January 23, 1 942, Serial No. 427,850

9 Claims. (or. -179) This invention relates to improvements in brush rolls or-rotors and while it is applicable to many forms and kinds of brush rolls and rotors it is particularly applicableto brush rolls or rot'ors that areused within the nozzle of a suction cleaner.

'An object of this invention is to provide an im- Another object is to provide an improved brush roll or rotor which is of simple construction and which may be economicallymanufacturedj A still further object is to provide an improved plastic brush roll or rotor. for a suction cleaner wherein provision is made to allow parts of the brush roll to move freely relative to other parts when they expand or contract unequally, par ticularly when the plastic roll members shrink in the initial molding of the same. These and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the followproved brush roll or rotor for a suction cleaner.-

and pressure or cast onto the tubular member II, and some of the material flows into the circumferential grooves I9 and some flows into the axial groo'es 20. Thecircumferential grooves I9 coact with the material therein and provide a lock which prevents the portions of the roll members I3 that are adjacent the grooves I9 from moving axially on the tubular member II. The axial grooves!!! also coact with the material therein and provide a lock which prevents the 'roll members I3 from rotating on the tubular member II.

During the molding of the plastic roll members I3, the plastic material is heated to a relatively high temperature. After the initial molding the plastic material cools and contracts more rapidly and to a greater extent than the tubular member ing description and claims takenin connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a brush roll constructed in accordance with this invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a partial enlarged side view with parts broken away;

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are sections taken along lines IIIIII, IVIV, and VV, respectively, of Fig. 2; and,

Fig; 6 is a partial side view of a modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 in particular, a brush roll or rotor constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention is indicated generally by the reference character Ill. The brush roll or rotor includes a tubular member or core II having a pulley I2 thereon by means of which the brush roll or rotor is rotated by a belt (not shown), and roll members I3 having tufts of bristles I4 mounted spirally thereon.

The tubular member Il may be made of metal or any other suitable material and the pulley I2, which may be made of metal or any other suitable material,- is pressed thereon. The member II is knurled as indicated at I5. These knurls slightly bite into the pulley l2 and assist in preventing it from rotating on the member II. --The member I I has a smooth surface, except for, circumferential grooves I9 and axial groo es 20 provided therein near its respective ends.

The roll members I3 are preferably made of plastic material. However, it will be understood that they maybe madeof any satisfactory material. These portions are molded under heat adjacent ends of the roll members I3.

II, and the portions of the members I3 that are not locked to the tubular member I I move axially of the member II toward the grooves IS. The smooth surface of the tubular member II does not make a very good bond with the plastic material used in the roll members I3. This permits the portions of the members I3, that are not locked to the tubular member II, by the grooves I9 and 20, to slide along the tubular member I I without setting up objectional stresses in either the tubular member II or the plastic roll memhers I 3. During the cooling of the roll members I3 they contract far enough to provide clearance spaces 23 and 24 between the pulley I2 and the clearance spaces permit subsequent expansion of the plastic roll' members I3 without pressing against the pulley I2, which action might distort the tubular member II and set up abnormal stresses in the plastic roll members I3 that might crack or warp the same, or injure the bond between the roll members I3 and the tubular member II where they are locked together. Because the plastic roll members I3 never get as hot in operation as the initial molding temperature, consequently, they will never expand back to their original size so as to contact the pulley I2. It is also desirable to have clearance spaces between the ends of the roll members I3 and the pulley I2 to prevent crackingof the roll members I3 when rotary motion is applied to the pulley in case the pulley becomes slightly 'loose on the tubular member II.

It will be noted that the pulley I2 has a smallerdiameter than the roll members I3 and the end portions 2| of the roll members extend over the edges of the pulley I2 and serve as guides to prevent the belt from running off the These able manner.

. onto the pulley I! also serves to cover from sight the clearance spaces between the roll members and the pulley..

The outer ends 25 of the roll members I! are recessed at 26 to receive ball bearings, indicated generally b the reference characterfl, anda washer 28. The recesses 26 may be moulded into the roll members or they may be formed therein by some satisfactory method after the roll members have been molded onto the tubular member I I. A shaft 29 extends through the tubular member II and projects from the end thereof to provide portions 30 by means of which the'brush roll or rotoris mounted in the nozzle of a suction cleaner. The shaft 29 is screwthreaded near its J respective'ends and plates 3| are screwed thereon to hold the bearings 21 and the washers 28 in place in the recesses 28. when mounted in,the nozzle of av suction cleaner, the brush roll ll rotates about the shaft 29. The projecting portions ill of the shaft have a-cross section, pre!- erably other than round, to facilitate mounting the .shaft in the nozzle of a suction clea'nerso that the shaft will not rotate when rotary motion is applied to the pulley ii. A clearance space I2 is also provided, by any suitable method, be-

tween the inner end of the recess 2'' and the bearing 21 and a clearance space 33 is likewise provided between the ends of the roll members 13 and the plates II. These clearance spaces. 32 and 3: permit end portions 25 of .the roll memhers I! to expand without binding against the plates-3| and bearings 21.

In Figs. 2 and 4, a method of attaching a tuft of bristles II, which includes a plurality of brlstles bent to U-shape, to the brush roll III is illusspects this embodiment is the same as the embodiment previously described.

This invention has been described in connection with a brush roll or rotor for a suction cleaner having a. pulley intermediate its ends. However, it is understood that this invention may apply equally as well to any type of brush roll or plain roll or rotor'not having a brush thereon, regardless of whether the pulley is intermediate its ends or at one or both ends. This invention also applies equally as well to brush rolls and plain rolls or rotors that ar rotated by contact with a surface. a

An advantage afforded by this invention is that it provides a fabricated plastic brush roll or rotor having a metallic core wherein the plastic por-' tion of the roll, or rotor may expand and contract relative to the core without any appreciable warping or cracking of the plastic portions or the core and without injuring the bond between the plastic portions and the core.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereoLand I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall trated- To attach the bristles in this manner, a

hole I! is drilled into the plastic member I: and

. a hole 38 is drilled into the tubular member H and 36 is hooked into the bottom of the U formed by bending the bristles and thestaple and the end'of the bristles having the U-bend therein are inserted into the hole 31 so that the staple projects through the hole into the interior of the tubular member II. The bristles are held in position in the hole 31 by spreading the legs and 88 of the staple against the inside of the tu-' bular member II, as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement provides a substantial mounting for the bristles and, because of the resiliency of the legs 35 and 36 of the staple, some flexibility or relative movement between the plastic parts I! and the core II is permitted without damaging the mounting of the bristles. Although the mounting of only one tuft of brlstleshas been described, it will be understood that a full conting'ent of tufts oi bristles may b mounted on the brush roll in this manner or some other suit- In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, a pulley n is recemed, as indicated at ll, and the roll memhers I! have end portions I! of reduced diameter which project into the recesses II. The portions of the roll members serve as guidw to prevent a belt from rimning oi! the pulley ll. In this embodiment, clearance spaces 41, 43, and are provided between the ends of the roll members I! and the pulley II by shrinking of the roll members l3 in-the initial molding of the same. These clearance spaces are hidden from sight by the of thepulley. In allother rebe placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a brush roll orrotor, a, metal member, a plastic member encompassing and closely fltting the outside of the metal member, means locking a portion of said plastic member to said metal member, said metalmember and said plas-- of said plastic member to said metal member, a

portion of said metal. member being smooth so that portions of said plastic member may move toward said locking means during contraction of said plastic member and provide a. clearance space between the adjacent ends of the plastic memher and the pulley so that these portions may subsequently 'expand and contract unequally. without setting up damaging stresses in each other. v

3. In a brush roll or rotor, a. metal member, a pulley positioned intermediate the ends of said metal member, a plastic member encompassing the metal member on each side of said pulley, and means adjacent one end of each of said plastic members for permanently looking a .portion of said plastic members against rotational or axial movement relative to said metal member, the other. portions of said metal member and said plastic members being free to move relative to each other and to said pulley when they expand and contract unequally. y

4. Ida brush rollor roton'a metal member,

. a pulley positioned on said metal member, a plas ll tic member against movement relative totic member encompassing and closely fitting the outside of the metal member, means locking said plastic member tosaid metal member to prevent Y it from rotating on said metal member, and means permanently locking a portion of said plasmember and said metal member expand or tractiirnequally.

pulley having a recess therein, a plastic member encompassing and closely fitting the outside of said metal member, a portion of said plastic member extending into said recess in said pulley,'means locking said piastic'member to said metal member at the end of the plastic member remote from said pulley so that when said plastic member contracts a portion of the same will move toward said locking means far enough to move the ends of said plastic member far enough away from said pulley so that said plastic member may subsequently expand without setting up objectional stresses in the brush roll or rotor.

6. In a brush roll or rotor, a metal member, a pulley carried on said metal member intermediate its ends, a plastic roll member encompassing and carried on said metal member on each side 01' said pulley, said plastic roll members having a larger diameter than said pulley, the inner ends of said plastic roll members forming guards adjacent the ends ofsaid pulley for preventing a belt from-running oi! said pulley, a portion of each of said plastic members being locked against rotational and axial movement relative to said metal member, other portions of said plastic members being free to move axially with respect to said metal member when said plastic con- 7. In a brush roll or rotor, a metal member, a plastic roll member encompassing said metal member and closely fitting the outer surface thereof, means locking said plastic roll member to said metal member to prevent it from rotating relative to said metal member, comprising grooves formed at one end of said metal member for receiving the material of said plastic roll, and means for mounting said brush roll in the nomle of the suction cleaner, and means for applying rotary motion to said brush roll.

8. A brush rotor comprising a'metal member, I

a pulley keyed to said metal member intermediate the ends thereof, plastic members on said metal member disposed on the opposite sides of said pulley, and means for locking only the outer end portions or said plastic members to said metal member, the remaining portions of said plastic members being free to move longitudinally with respect to said metal member and said pulley, the

member and closely fitting said smooth surface,

said core member and said plastic member bein formed, adjacent one end of the latter, with interlocking portions, whereby said plastic member is locked to the core member adjacent said one end but is free to expand and contract relative to said core member along said smooth surface.

CHARLES H. TAYLOR. 

